EU Energy Commissioner backs trans-Caspian pipeline

The European Union's Energy Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, has backed the idea of building a pipeline across the Caspian Sea from Kazakhstan to diversify oil supplies to Europe.

EU official insists the move is not aimed at bypassing Russia.

“I would not describe it as bypassing, I would describe it as diversification. Russia is also strongly supporting the new pipeline, the so-called North Stream. It's quite normal in today's energy world, diversity of investments, not only into the new fields, but also into new transportation routes. In my opinion, due to the fact that South Caucasus pipeline is practically ready, it makes sense also to build across the Caspian Sea just to feed the pipe,” Mr Piebalgs explained.